ABOUT ESM SPORTS (EASTPORT-SOUTH MANOR SPORTS ASSOCIATION.)

ESMSA was formed in 1994 and was originally called MSA (Manorville Sports Association.) A gentleman named Joe Murray founded it. In 1999, a new President was elected by the name of Jim Barbaruolo. Jim being very astute to what was going on with the community as far as the impending merger of the Eastport and South Manor School districts decided along with the existing executive board to change the name of MSA to what it is today. ESMSA was born. The colors of MSA (Green/White) were changed to the school districts new colors of Navy, Silver and White, that you see every child in our community adorning today. At that time, ESMSA offered youth baseball and dek hockey to the children of the community. ESMSA is a not for profit corporation which now offers not only baseball and dek hockey; but also travel baseball, girls softball, travel and Pee Wee football, cheerleading, competition cheerleading, boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse, boys & girls basketball, boys & girls volleyball, and wrestling to the children of Eastport, Manorville and the Mastic communities. We focus on the children within our ESM school district, but some of our programs have open registrations where children from any town may participate. We also now have a safety program with it’s own director. The league has purchased AED’s and is currently training and certifying many of our coaches in the skills of CPR and the use of the AEDs. This is possible due to the donations of many generous people in our community.

ESMSA is run entirely by volunteers. None of our executive board or directors receives payment for the services that they provide. It is because of these volunteers that all of our programs are successful and well regarded all over the island. ESMSA has been set up where every program has it’s own director and is run autonomously to any other program. Every program director is responsible for funding their program through registration fees and/or fundraising to provide the best program possible. All directors report to our central board. Seven elected volunteers run this board of directors which consists of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and three executive board members. This board oversees all programs to ensure that things run well and that each program keeps up to the high standards that ESMSA has always held. Each executive board member is elected to a three-year term. Positions are staggered by year. ESMSA pays for financial services as each sport manages and maintains it’s own separate checking account.

Due to the fact that ESMSA is a volunteer organization for the children of our community, we have in place and enforce a Zero Tolerance Policy. This policy is in place to ensure that our children have positive experiences while participating in our programs and take with them great memories of sportsmanship and teamwork, while learning a particular sport. Though all sports and games are played to win, winning is not important nor should it ever be. Winning should be done with honor, and sportsmanship. It is just as important to learn how to lose with dignity and keep one’s chin up (so to speak.) Cursing or fighting or any other behavior deemed unacceptable by our executive board, directors or coaches and exhibited by any person, player, parent, coach or volunteer can result in immediate suspension and/or expulsion from a sports program or from all of our programs. The period of time depending on the incident could be a game or games, event, and entire season or life. Depending on the infraction and the severity of such infraction. ESMSA will also remove the player from a program or the league due to a parent or guardians infraction. Basically, the parent or guardian is responsible to ensure that their children and their children’s teammates get the best possible experience from participation in our programs. The participant of our program will be accountable for the actions of the parents. Emotions may sometimes run high at sporting events, so all adults should remember at all times that there will be consequences to their actions. Not only for themselves, but also their children. This policy ensures that our children stay safe and maintain the values that we all want them to have. This ensures that the environment where they play is always positive.

Thank you and enjoy our programs. Get involved! ESMSA holds open board meetings every third Thursday of the month at ESM High School at 7:30PM in room 1643. (Unless otherwise posted.) Everyone is welcome to ensure that ESMSA will continue to grow and offer the best youth sports programs available in our community.

ESM Sports Association Board of Directors.